A new report accuses TikTok of helping to promote and normalize the sex industry by allowing “sex influencers” to post videos that market pornographic content hosted on platforms such as OnlyFans. After a year of studying non-explicit content on TikTok from well-known OnlyFans performers, researchers discovered coded references to pornography within “girly lifestyle content”, such as shopping, pets or beauty tips.
Although direct links to OnlyFans are prohibited, euphemisms, emojis and gestures are used to signal the availability of adult content. TikTok bans sexual solicitation, but it distributes “work-safe” material from OnlyFans performers. The report highlights that the hints are concealed in posts such as “get ready with me” (GRWM), where the word “corn” is used instead of “porn” to avoid being blocked.
The study, “TikTok to OnlyFans pipeline”, was carried out by the organizations Cease (UK) and Collective Shout (Australia). The researchers analyzed posts by “sex influencers” and TikTok’s algorithm recommendations. In viral posts, OnlyFans performers promoted a “wonderful life” full of freedom, fun and money, earned through selling sexual content. This message was accompanied by images of cash, luxury homes and expensive cars, presenting OnlyFans as a solution to poverty.
However, OnlyFans data shows a huge discrepancy: while the top 5,000 creators have each earned more than $1 million, the average earnings of the 5 million registered performers are around $1,000 a year. Melinda Tankard Reist, of Collective Shout, condemned TikTok as “a digital pimp on an industrial scale that funnels girls into the sex industry”, stressing the need to protect young women and girls from this predatory industry.
The research was prompted by concern that OnlyFans stars such as Sophie Rain and Ari Kytsya had large followings on TikTok among teenagers and were using the platform to promote the creation of pornography. OnlyFans performers build TikTok followings to make subtle hints about explicit content sold elsewhere. The report focuses on the links between TikTok and OnlyFans because of TikTok’s large number of young users and its role as a career launchpad for many of them.
Some OnlyFans stars do brand promotions, advertising household items, sex toys and condoms. Ari Kytsya, who calls herself a “bed actress”, was named an ambassador for the L’Oréal cosmetics brand Urban Decay, promoting makeup that “performs well in bed”. The report’s authors call for the ban on pornographic content for under-18s to be extended, including posts that promote or are linked to the sex industry.
A TikTok spokesperson said the platform strictly prohibits sexual content and uses technology to enforce its guidelines, preventing age-inappropriate content from reaching teenagers. An OnlyFans spokesperson said the platform is for people over 18 and has strict registration processes to prevent access by minors.
Taken from The Guardian UK